A Closer Look at EECP for Chest Pain

Chest pain is a common problem among men and women alike and may be caused by a number of factors. If your chest pain is the result of insufficient blood flow or oxygen, enhanced external counterpulsation (EECP) therapy from your heart doctor may be right for you:

Uses EECP is a non-surgical treatment for individuals with chronic chest pain. Also known as angina, chest pain often develops when the heart muscles are deprived of sufficient blood and oxygen, forcing the heart to work harder to pump blood back through the arteries.

Candidates Ideal candidates for EECP include those with chronic angina. Ideal candidates are not achieving pain relief with medications and are not eligible for an invasive treatment method such as a balloon angioplasty or bypass procedure. Individuals suffering from advanced heart failure, serious heart valve conditions, arrhythmias, uncontrolled hypertension, peripheral artery disease, or blood thinners may not be candidates for the procedure.

Procedure During your EECP procedure, air cuffs will be placed on your calf, lower thigh, and upper thigh. You will be instructed to lie on a table while you are hooked up to an electrocardiogram monitor using adhesive patches attached to your chest. The ECG machine will measure the electrical activity of your heart while the cuffs inflate and deflate. As your heart relaxes in between heartbeats, the cuffs will inflate in rapid succession to propel blood back to the heart, ultimately enabling your heart muscles to receive oxygenated blood.

Benefits Studies show that individuals who undergo EECP experience a reduction in the frequency and severity of chest pain attacks. They are also able to exercise for longer periods of time and reduce their dependence on angina medications. Additionally, EECP procedures do not require the need for any incisions, needle pricks, or anesthesia.

Find out if you are a candidate for EECP by contacting the cardiologists at Cardiac Solutions heart clinic. Our heart doctors offer EECP and other cardiology procedures in Phoenix. Call us at (623) 876-8816 to learn more today.